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'Snake And Mongoose' Revisits The Golden Age Of The NHRA: Video

If you grew up in the 1970s and had any interest in cars, you know the names Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen. Rivals on track and (mostly) friends off-track, the pair created a marketing juggernaut that paved the way for modern motorsports marketing tie-ins.

It was McEwen who had the foresight to approach toy maker Mattel for sponsorship. Pitching the rivalry between “The Snake” and “The Mongoose,” McEwen’s efforts enabled the pair to buy the best of equipment and elevate NHRA drag racing to a national audience.

Now, as Hemmings Daily tells us, a new movie called “Snake and Mongoose” will detail the story of the two legendary drivers, both on track and off. While the trailer doesn’t give up a lot of detail, it’s clear that the film will be chock full of sex, drama and even a bit of racing.

Given the overwhelming success of the Ayrton Senna biopic, we’re not surprised to see studios turning towards the golden years of racing. “Snake and Mongoose” will hit theaters in 2013, as will the Ron-Howard-directed biography of Nikki Lauda, called “Rush.”

Those of us old enough to remember watching Lauda, Prudhomme and McEwen race (or those with a passion for vintage racing) will be in for a very entertaining year.